Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo will be away from the team indefinitely because of a family member’s illness.

Pietrangelo already has missed five games, and there is no timetable for his return to the club.

The team said in a statement, “The Vegas Golden Knights wholeheartedly support Alex and the Pietrangelos and ask that the family’s privacy be respected at this time.”

Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said Wednesday, “We’re working with Alex and supporting him and, when he’s ready, he’ll come back.”

The Golden Knights will miss Pietrangelo, 32, on both ends of the ice. He is one of the team’s top defensemen, and he also is tied for the club lead with 18 assists and tied for fourth with 21 points.

The three-time All-Star is in his third season with Vegas after 12 seasons with the St. Louis Blues. In 902 career games, Pietrangelo has 132 goals, 406 assists and a plus-108 rating.

The Golden Knights, who had a two-game winning streak snapped with 5-1 loss to the visiting New York Rangers on Wednesday, play host to the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday. Vegas leads the Western Conference with 39 points thanks largely to a stellar road record (12-2-1).

–Field Level Media